There are around 2.35 million automobile injuries in the United States every year. That’s more than 6,000 every single day. While some injuries may be minor, even these can have serious effects on your body. Others can have debilitating and sometimes catastrophic consequences on your health and wellbeing.
An automobile accident doesn’t have to mean permanent injury or disability. In many cases, chiropractic care from a qualified and experienced professional can make a big difference by reducing your pain and restoring your ability to live your life to the fullest again.
In an automobile accident the force of the impact from any direction causes the ligaments to be sprained and muscles in the body to overextend and become strained. The most common areas of pain after an automobile accident are in the neck, upper back and even the low back
At Moss Chiropractic in Olney, MD, our team is here to support you after an automobile injury. We’ll do everything we can to get you pain free and moving freely again.
What are the main types of automobile injuries?
Compression Fractures
Compression Fractures occur when the upper part of the body is thrown forward while the lower body is restrained by a seat belt. When this forceful bending happens, the vertebrae can be compressed onto itself. In severe instances this action or motion can cause the vertebrae to fracture and then the spinal cord can be at risk of becoming damaged by fractured bone.
Disc Herniation
Your intervertebral discs are sponge-like circular pads that sit in-between each of your vertebrae. They help the spine absorb impacts to minimize everyday damage. However, if the outer layer of a disc becomes damaged, the soft, inner gel can seep out and irritate the surrounding nerves.
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis occurs when a vertebra moves out of place due to force or a fracture in the bone. The displaced bone presses on the surrounding nerves, which can cause pain and other neurological symptoms.
Whiplash
In rear-end collisions, the impact forces your head to ‘whip’ backward and forwards quickly and as a result, the muscles in the neck are overextended. This causes the vertebra of the neck to become misaligned or subluxated, a serious condition which requires attention from a chiropractor as soon as possible.
What are the main symptoms of whiplash injuries?
Whiplash occurs when your neck and head are suddenly forced backward and then rapidly forward. This puts your cervical spine through extreme stresses.
The most common symptom of whiplash is pain in the neck, which can range from a pins-and-needles sensation to unbearable pain that prevents everyday activity. Other possible symptoms are:
- Neck stiffness
- Loss of the normal forward curve of the neck
- Reduced range of motion
- Neck instability
- Shoulder and/or upper back pain
- Headaches
- Migraines
- Neurological symptoms like tingling, weakness in the arms and hands, or numbness that radiates into the shoulder and/or down the arm
- Forward head posture (FHP)
- Arthritis of the spine will develop (if left uncorrected over time)
How can the team at Moss Chiropractic help treat Whiplash and Auto-Injuries?
Our team at Moss Chiropractic will help assess your pain and create a custom treatment plan for you based on your injury and what is causing your pain. Our natural treatment approach goal is to return you back on the path to health as quickly as possible.
Our approach focuses on rebalancing the musculoskeletal system and realigning the spine so that the body can heal itself. A chiropractic adjustment can have a number of beneficial effects in helping you recover from your automobile injuries. The sooner chiropractic care starts from the time of the auto accident the better the outcome.
Our treatments are safe and non-invasive. The goal of your personalized treatment plan will be to get you feeling better as quickly as possible by reducing inflammation, improving joint mobility, strengthening weakened muscles, and relaxing any muscle spasms that are causing you pain.
What’s the Treatment Approach for Whiplash/Auto Accident Injuries at Moss Chiropractic?
The Moss Chiropractic team provides a multidisciplinary approach to helping you recover from Whiplash/Auto Accident injuries.
Your treatment plan may include:
- Joint mobilization techniques, specific spinal adjustments to help correct the subluxated (misaligned) vertebra
- Deep tissue mobilization
- Cryotherapy
- Neuromuscular rehabilitation ( tractioning or stretching )
- Muscular retraining, individualized mirror image posture exercises that are uniquely tailored to relieve your specific problems
- ADL (Activities of daily living) training
- An orthotic foot scan, if needed
Each treatment is gentle and non-invasive, focusing on releasing muscle tension and easing any discomfort you are experiencing.
What are the health benefits of chiropractic care for Whiplash/Auto Accident injuries?
The benefits from treatment can include:
Reducing Inflammation
Inflammation is a common side effect of any type of injury. This is because your immune system becomes activated to help heal the damaged area. While some inflammation is an indicator of the body’s natural healing process, too much can cause serious side-effects on the body. By increasing circulation throughout your body, chiropractic care can help calm inflammation which will avoid overwhelming the body and becoming a chronic problem.
Reducing Your Pain
Chiropractic care after an accident can help your body to release more pain-reducing hormones, which can reduce your need for pain relief. Many people prefer this natural approach rather than needing to rely on dangerous prescription pain relief. Managing pain effectively and conservatively also helps strengthen the functioning of your nervous system.
Less Scar Tissue
Scar tissue can form after an injury. This thickening of the tissue can cause your muscles to feel stiff and uncomfortable. In some cases, you might experience limited range of movement because of the scarring that eventually restricts your day to day activities. Chiropractic adjustments can help limit and even reduce the amount of scar tissue that your body forms.
Improved Mobility
Neck and back injuries will reduce your ability to carry out all the activities of daily life without pain. Getting chiropractic adjustments will mobilize your spine to encourage the healing process and you will find that you can regain freedom of movement much sooner with this kind of care.
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Schedule Your First Session
Drs. Raymond and Gabriella Moss provide a comprehensive approach to your healthcare and pain management in order to get back to feeling your best self and start living your life optimally again. They provide the highest quality care for patients in Olney, Aspen Hill, Rockville, and Norbeck, Maryland. They will provide you with a personalized approach to treatment that they have developed after working with patients for over 30 years.
To schedule an appointment or to learn more about what type of services Moss Chiropractic provides, contact us or read more on our blog.
